Taking off: Carmichaels cross country program making strides
Jim Downey | 无毛视频-Standard
Aislinn Linderman (left) and Camryn Lemley turn into the second mile in the 32nd annual A.J. Everhart Invitational held Sept. 23 at Penn State Fayette. Linderman finished in 79th place with a time of 30:39.20, while Lemley placed 86th in 32:58.4.
jim downey
Carmichaels无毛视频� Alexis Mori moves into the second mile of the 32nd annual A.J. Everhart Invitational held at Penn State Fayette on Sept. 23. Mori placed 89th with a time of 33:00.40.
Jim Downey | 无毛视频-Standard
Carmichaels无毛视频� Nathan Bennett crosses the finish line in a time of 33:20.40 in the A.J. Everhart Invitational held on Sept. 23 at Penn State Fayette.
Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu无毛视频檚 once stated 无毛视频淎 journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.无毛视频�
In the case of the nascent Carmichaels cross country team, that first step was the beginning of what hopes to be the growth of a new sport at the Greene County high school.
Liz Popielarcheck is the coach of the first-year team. She said the move to begin a cross country program began a year ago.
无毛视频淎 combination of many individuals was involved. This time last year I was begging one of the gym teachers at school how we could get a cross country team started,无毛视频� said Popielarcheck. 无毛视频淚 was just asking questions around campus and getting guidance from our principal and get a feel of the student interest in it.无毛视频�
Popielarcheck turned for guidance from one of the area无毛视频檚 best programs and its veteran coach.
无毛视频淢y husband is a state trooper and he happens to know Tom Maher, who has kids that run in cross country (at Uniontown),无毛视频� explained Popielarcheck. 无毛视频淚n a roundabout way, once I got board approval in May, I started meeting up with the Uniotown cross country team.
无毛视频淲e were getting together at that point (Chef Joe无毛视频檚 Omelet Run in June). It无毛视频檚 a hodgepodge of kids.无毛视频�
Popielarcheck continued, noting, 无毛视频�(Uniontown coach) Joe Everhart really helped me out. He brought me into his home and showed me everything there is possibly to know about cross country.
无毛视频淗e guided me through it. I无毛视频檝e been pestering him with questions throughout the season.无毛视频�
Everhart downplayed his role in the process, sharing the knowledge he无毛视频檚 amassed in his long tenure as the Red Raiders无毛视频� coach.
无毛视频淲e talked about getting things started, getting the parents involved and workouts, the basic things,无毛视频� said Everhart.
Everhart was impressed with Popielarcheck无毛视频檚 attitude.
无毛视频淪he无毛视频檚 very enthusiastic. She has everything to be a great coach,无毛视频� explained Everhart. 无毛视频淭he small things will take care of themselves.
无毛视频淚 watched her Saturday (during the invitational. She was so encouraging.无毛视频�
Though he had to do so, Everhart understands the demands in starting, and continuing, a cross country program.
无毛视频淚 was fortunate we had a program. I had my dad as my coach,无毛视频� said Everhart. 无毛视频淪he无毛视频檚 just starting fresh. I无毛视频檓 so excited to see cross country start new programs.
无毛视频淭hey seem so eager.无毛视频�
Since the PIAA is between its two-year classification realignment, Carmichaels is solely running an exhibition schedule and competing in select invitationals. The Mikes run along with Waynesburg Central and West Greene, the county无毛视频檚 other programs, in Section 3-AA meets.
Carmichaels competed in last weekend无毛视频檚 A.J. Everhart Invitational, hosted by Uniontown at Penn State Fayette.
The boys fielded only two runners with Landon Brown placing 138th in 30:15.20 and Nathan Bennett 138th in 33:20.40.
The girls ran a full team, finishing with 338 points. Aislinn Linderman was the top finisher, placing 79th in 30:39.20. The next five runners were bunched together with Abigail Cuppett (85, 32:48.60), Camryn Lemley (86, 32:58.4), Alexis Mori (89, 33:00.40), Alayna Simon (92, 33:19.20), and Ava Smith (93, 33:22.40) finishing within a minute of one another.
Suzann Oshetsky rounded out the finishers in 99th place with a time of 34:48.70.
Popielarcheck understands cross country is a demanding sport and takes a different type of individual and athlete to keep the program moving forward.
无毛视频淭he kids are getting to do something they无毛视频檝e never done before,无毛视频� said Popielarcheck. 无毛视频淪ometimes running isn无毛视频檛 fun. It hurts and you无毛视频檙e going to wish you weren无毛视频檛 doing it. You无毛视频檒l be in so much pain, but it takes a certain kind of individual to persevere through that uncomfortable nonsense to keep going.
无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 what it takes.无毛视频�
Popielarcheck continued the thought, adding, 无毛视频淔or you guys to go out there and do it when it hurts, and you come back and keep doing it over and over again, that takes character. When things are going wrong and you come out of that finish, who cares where you place.
无毛视频淪uccess for them is at the end of the day they want to do it next year, a lot of team building.无毛视频�
The coach says the squad has shown improvement.
无毛视频淎bsolutely (they are getting better). I wish people could see where we started. Some of these kids never ran before. Let无毛视频檚 just see what you can do,无毛视频� said Popielarcheck. 无毛视频淭heir goal is to beat their PR and so far, they无毛视频檝e been improving all along. As long as they无毛视频檙e doing their best out there, they无毛视频檙e doing great.
无毛视频淗onest, I just want the kids to enjoy it and do their best.无毛视频�
Popielarcheck also want her squad to understand and appreciate their role is what she hopes will continue long into the future.
无毛视频淥ur scores don无毛视频檛 count, but it counts towards their legacy. They无毛视频檙e starting something our school has never had before, so they own that,无毛视频� said Popielarcheck. 无毛视频淲e have four seniors who will graduate this year. I tell them don无毛视频檛 let their legacy die with them. Go out and recruit.无毛视频�